


Fight Club

by scullywolf



Series: TXF: Scenes in Between [163]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Banter, F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 03:57:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10733649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scullywolf/pseuds/scullywolf
Summary: A slight extension of that cute, banter-y first office scene in the episode.





	Fight Club

**Author's Note:**

> Once again we have an episode that doesn’t fit, timewise, within the confines of the season. Mulder has his jaw wired shut at the end. Y’all, I have broken my jaw. It was wired shut for six freaking weeks. There is just no way this episode happens mid-May of 2000 if _Requiem_ is set at the end of May or early June. (Doggett actually says “Agent Mulder disappeared last May” in _The Gift_ but that’s a whole other can of worms.) So yeah, this one’s going to have to be another “in-episode context only” scene-in-between. Because Chris Carter is the worst. (And of course this was one of the episodes he wrote himself. Because of course it was.)

_“Don’t go thinking I’m going to start doing the autopsies.”_

She smirks at him, and he drops the fake-pout to shake his head, chuckling. Truth be told, he finds it endlessly gratifying (and more than a little arousing) whenever she reveals how much she not only listens to his endless rambling on all things paranormal but actually treats it as something worth remembering. For all that she challenges his theories and makes him work for her buy-in, she recognizes the value and validity of exploring every possibility, assimilating even the more unconventional ideas into the knowledge base from which she draws when they encounter something new. He told her once how much he valued that she always respects the journey, and it’s no less true now, however many years later.

“So,” she says, interrupting his musing. “Betty Templeton. The agents were investigating her because…?”

He meets her raised eyebrows with a wave of his hand. “Go ahead, Scully. You’re on a roll.”

She frowns, licking her lips in that _way_ she does. “Well, they claim to have lost control of their minds and behavior, and I assume that happened while they were in the presence of Ms. Templeton. So the same thing must have happened to someone else. Another pair of individuals, reduced to uncontrolled violence while _also_ in the presence of Ms. Templeton.”

Grinning, Mulder clicks to the next slide, revealing a photo of the two missionaries, post-fight. He takes a moment to appreciate the satisfied look on her face before saying, “Orsen Peterson, age 42, and Jared Wells, 29. Two local men of God, out to spread the good word. Not exactly the type of guys you’d expect to find settling their differences with a good old-fashioned brawl on a suburban front lawn.”

“Betty Templeton’s front lawn?”

“The very same. But here’s the kicker. When questioned afterward, they revealed that not ten minutes earlier--”

“They’d seen or spoken with someone who looked exactly like Ms. Templeton, either on the street or at a different house.”

Mulder narrows his eyes. “You already read the police report, didn’t you?”

“I did not!” she says. “And I’m trying not to take offense at the fact that you seem to think I could only make an accurate deduction if I’m cheating.”

He’s quick to hold his hands up in surrender. “You’re right. Okay, I take that back. Clearly you’re just in the zone here. Tell you what. Why don’t you take the reins on this one?”

She looks skeptically at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “What do you mean?”

“Well, since you’re, what, three for three on calling the important details of the case without even looking at the file? You should definitely take the lead and call the shots when we get to Kansas City. Your gut’s singing on this one, and I wouldn’t want to interrupt the performance.” He’s treated to one arched eyebrow, and he leers at her in response. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to let you boss me around.”

She rolls her eyes and drops her hands to her hips. “Oh, please. You make it sound like you’re ordinarily _in charge_ of me. And here I thought we were partners.”

“C’mon Scully, let a guy enjoy a moment here.”

She shakes her head. “In any event, I assume you’ve already made travel arrangements for us?”

“You are killing it today,” he says, grinning, and she rolls her eyes again.

“Oh come on, Mulder, that one was a gimme.” She nods toward the slide projector. “Anything else I should know about this case before we go?”

He clicks to the next slide, which is blank. “That’s all, folks.” Leaning forward to shut the projector off, he adds, “Our flight doesn’t leave til eleven, so we’ve got a couple hours to kill. What do you say we get out of here and grab something better than crappy office coffee on our way to the airport?”

(Screencaps this week courtesy of [The X-Files Screen Grab Archive](http://xfphotos.fredfarm.com/))


End file.
